Day 0: Introduction: Perfecting My Trip to Europe Using United Miles Day 1: LAX-YVR on Air Canada, Vancouver, and YVR-LHR on Air Canada Day 2: BD Number One Lounge at Heathrow and London to Lisbon on TAP Portugal Day 3: A Day of Sightseeing in Lisbon Day 4: An Unexpected Extra Day + New Years in Lisbon Day 5: 12-Hour Bus Trip from Lisbon to Algeciras, Spain via Seville Day 7: My Five Star Hotel Room in Marrakech Day 8: Bartering for Mont Blanc Pens + RAK-MAD on Royal Air Maroc Day 9: City Tour of Madrid on Foot Day 10: Escape to the Madrid Airport Hilton
—
Day 9: City Tour of Madrid on Foot – 05 Jan 2010
This was my first trip to Madrid and I neglected to think about what I wanted to see there until I arrived. Like Lisbon, I decided to explore the city by foot and see, well, whatever I saw.

Palacio Real

La Casa de Campo





Catedral de la Almudena



Plaza Mayor

Puerta del Sol


Bear Statue at Puerta del Sol


Real Jardin Botanico




Atocha RENFE (Train Station)

Ministry of Agriculture

Palacio de Telecomunicaciones

Puerta de Alcalá

Monument to Alphonso XII

Crystal Palace

Prado Art Museum — free admission after 6:00p.

Gran Vía

Puerta del Sol
By the end of the day, I was content that I had explored the highlights of Madrid. After suffering though a meal at FresCo, a low-quality salad/pizza buffet chain (but less than EU10), I returned to my hostel continued my law school reading.




Thanks Matthew, I have really enjoyed reading your blog.
I was in Madrid last November for a leisure day after a business trip to Barcelona. I saw many of the same sights you did. I think we have similar ideas of how to enjoy a day trip such as this.
Keep it up, Matthew. Love the whimsical approach to exploring a city.
Cheers from BKK,
g
@bta + Gray: Thanks for the compliments. I appreciate them.